Here's my attempt at the schematic. I'm using an RC bellcrank to transfer the vertical motion of the plunger to horizontal motion to the microswitch. I'm doing this only because it will allow more flexibility in aligning all the parts. There are extra contacts in the relay so I'll be using most of them.
I'm using the normally open (NO) contacts for the track power. This way when the microswitch closes it energizes the relay coil and closes those contacts energizing the swing-gate blocks. Meanwhile the other set of NO contacts will energize the green signals at the dwarf block at the gate and the panel indicator green. When the gate latch is lifted sufficiently to release the microswitch, it de-energizes the relay coil and the contacts open breaking the circuit to the track blocks. It also opens the green indicator contacts turning the green off and the normally closed contacts make energizing the red signal indicating the gate is not locked and track power is off. This will be the first time I've ever designed and installed a relay circuit. I know some of the guys on the forum use them for all sorts of things. As I get more comfortable I may do that also.
Please critique. For example, I'm not sure if using the NO contacts for the track power is the best approach being that the relay coil is continuously energized in this mode. If I used the NC set, the coil would only energize when the gate opens (also by selecting the NC contacts on the microswitch which passes current when the switch is in the non-activated position). I've been told that the relay doesn't mind being energized all the time; they're designed to do this.
This graphic was produced on Microsoft Visio which is a great program for knocking stuff out quickly. I've been using it since version 1 in the early 90s.
